Findroid is a powerful third-party Android client designed for users who manage their media through a Jellyfin server. It provides a native mobile experience for browsing and playing your personal media library directly from your device.
What is Findroid?
Findroid is a media player application specifically built for the Jellyfin ecosystem. Its primary purpose is to connect to a user’s self-hosted Jellyfin server, offering a streamlined interface to access movies, TV shows, music, and other media. The app is targeted at Jellyfin server administrators and their users who want a robust mobile solution for their media consumption.
Why Should You Use Findroid?
Users choose Findroid for its dedicated functionality and enhanced mobile experience over the standard web interface. It delivers a more app-native feel, often with better performance and integration for on-the-go media playback.
Key advantages include:
A dedicated, native interface for Jellyfin.
Superior offline playback capabilities.
Robust support for various media formats.
A focused experience without the clutter of a web browser.
Key Features of Findroid
Jellyfin Server Integration: Connects seamlessly to your self-hosted Jellyfin media server.
Media Library Browsing: Browse your entire Jellyfin library, including movies, series, music, and more.
Built-in MPV Player: Features an integrated MPV player for reliable playback of a wide range of video and audio formats.
Advanced Subtitle Support: Correctly renders styled SSA/ASS subtitles for a complete viewing experience.
Download for Offline Viewing: Allows users to download movies and TV shows to their device for playback without an internet connection.
Additional Features
User Interface: The app provides a clean, native Android interface designed for easy navigation of your media collection.
Playback Customization: Leveraging the MPV core, the app offers various playback and audio customization options.
Continued Development: As a third-party client, Findroid is actively developed with a focus on enhancing the Jellyfin mobile experience.
How to Download and Install Findroid
Since Findroid is a third-party application, it is not available on the Google Play Store. To install it, you must enable installations from unknown sources.
1. Open your device's Settings, navigate to Security, and enable "Install unknown apps" or "Unknown sources" for your browser.
2. Visit a trusted APK distribution site like GitHub or F-Droid using your Android device's web browser.
3. Search for "Findroid" and download the latest APK file.
4. Open the downloaded file and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation.
How to Use Findroid
Using the app is straightforward after setup.
1. Open Findroid on your Android device.
2. On the startup screen, enter the web address of your Jellyfin server.
3. Log in with your Jellyfin username and password.
4. Once connected, you can browse your media library, stream content, or download it for offline use.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Pros
Offers a smooth and responsive native Android experience.
Excellent format compatibility through its built-in player.
The offline download feature is highly reliable and useful for travel.
It provides specific enhancements over the standard Jellyfin web client.
Cons
Requires a pre-existing Jellyfin server; it is not a standalone service.
Must be manually installed from outside the Google Play Store.
Is Findroid Safe to Use?
Findroid is considered safe to use. It is an open-source client that requires permissions to connect to your Jellyfin server and access device storage for downloading media. It does not handle your login credentials itself; all authentication is done directly with your Jellyfin server. You should always download the APK from the official GitHub repository to ensure you have a legitimate version.
Compatible Apps or Tools
Findroid is designed to work exclusively with a Jellyfin server. For the server setup, you need to use the official Jellyfin server software installed on a PC, NAS, or other compatible hardware.
FAQs
Q: Do I need a Jellyfin server to use Findroid?
A: Yes, this app is solely a client and requires a functioning Jellyfin server to connect to.
Q: Is Findroid free to use?
A: Yes, the application is completely free and open-source.
Q: Can I use it to stream music from my Jellyfin server?
A: Yes, the app provides access to all library types on your server, including music.
Q: Where can I find the official download?
A: The official APK releases are available on the project's GitHub page.
Conclusion
Findroid stands out as an excellent third-party client for Jellyfin users on Android. Its strength lies in its native performance, reliable offline capabilities, and strong media format support. If you operate a Jellyfin server and want a superior mobile experience, Findroid is certainly worth installing.
